Miami, Florida has received fame not only for its miles of white sandy beaches, enormous luxury resorts, and excellent shopping opportunities, but also from the many bars, clubs, hotels and restaurants attracting numerous celebrities.  Cultural, recreational, and sporting events are available as daytime activities, and nightlife is provided with fine dining and entertainment such as ballet, theater, and opera.  Tourists can enjoy a classic beach vacation supplemented with all of the current amenities.

Overview of Miami

One of the most ultramodern cities within the U.S., Miami is located in southeastern Florida, along the Atlantic coastline.  The area includes both island and mainland communities, as well as the municipality of Miami Beach.  In 2009, its total population count was estimated at 409,719 people, having grown 11.47 percent since 2000. Miami is divided into four quadrants, of which most local addresses refer to.  Flagler Street, following an east-west direction, divides the city into northern and southern sections, while Miami Avenue, following north-south, creates an eastern and western section.  It has been nicknamed The Magic City, The MIA, and The 305.

History & Setting of Miami

From 10,000 BC, Miami was first inhabited by Tequesta Indians, who named their settlement Mayami.  The settlement had its first confirmed visit in 1566, from an expedition led by Pedro Menendez de Avilez, looking for his missing son.  The next year, Spanish soldiers led by Father Francisco Villareal built a Jesuit mission at the mouth of the Miami river.  The year after the visitation, a Jesuit mission was built at the mouth of the Miami river by Spanish soldiers, led by Father Francisco Villareal.  However, by 1570 the Jesuits decided to search outside of Florida for more willing subjects

After the Spaniards left, the Tequesta population suffered from European-introduced diseases, and wars with other tribes.  In 1711, a few local chiefs were sent to Havana, Cuba, to ask if they could move there.  The Cubans sent two ships to help the Indians, but after the onset of Spanish  illnesses, most of them died.  Spaniards sent another mission to Biscayne Bay in 1743, where a fort and church were constructed.  A permanent settlement was proposed, but rejected as impractical, and withdrawn before the year’s end.

In 1766, Samuel Touchett received from the British government a land grant, giving him 20,000 acres within the Miami area.  According to this grant, a condition for permanency was that every 100 acres of land had to be lived on by at least one white settler. Even though the grant was surveyed in 1772, and Touchett wanted to establish a plantation, he was never able to develop his plans due to financial problems.

Permanent white settlers first arrived in the early 1800s.  Some were attracted by treasure from ships ran aground on the Great Florida reef.  Others accepted land offers along the Miami river by Spaniards.  About this time, Seminole Indians came to the area with an assortment of runaway slaves.  Cape Florida Lighthouse, Miami’s oldest standing structure, was built on Key Biscayne in 1825 to warn passing ships of dangerous reefs.

Land along the Miami River was purchased from Bahamians by Richard Fitzpatrick throughout the 1830s, becoming one of the first and most successful permanent white settlers.  He cultivated bananas, maize, sugarcane, and tropical fruit on a successful plantation operated by slave labor.  Fitzpatrick’s plantation held the construction site of Fort Dallas, built in 1836.

The Second Seminole War (1835-1842) was the most devastating Indian war in American history, resulting in Miami’s almost complete loss of population.  Several raids were led against Indian residents, and most of the non-Indian residents were soldiers stationed at Fort Dallas.  In 1836, Seminoles burned Cape Florida Lighthouse, which was not repaired until ten years later.  After the war ended, Fitzpatrick’s nephew, William English, re-established his uncle’s plantation, charted the “Village of Miami” along the south bank of the Miami River, and sold several plots of land.

The Third Seminole War (1855-1858) was not as destructive, but slowed down settlement of southeastern Florida.  At the war’s end, a few soldiers decided to stay in the area, and some Seminoles remained in the Everglades.  But as late as the 1890s, only a handful of families settled in Miami.  Many settlers were homesteaders, attracted by U.S. federal government offers of free land.

One famous homesteader was William Brickell, known as the Father of Miami.  Arriving from Cleveland, Ohio in 1871, Brickell held a trading post and post office at the mouth of the Miami River. Along with Julia Tuttle, a Cleveland woman who bought a local citrus plantation in 1891, Brickell tried to persuade railroad magnate Henry Flagler (Florida East Coast Railroad) to expand his rail line southward to the area.  Flagler initially declined.

In the winter of 1894, freezing weather struck Florida, destroying virtually its entire northern citrus crop.  On the night of February 7, 1895, another freeze wiped out the remaining crops and new trees.  However, Miami was unaffected, and Tuttle’s citrus crop was the only one marketed that year.  Tuttle wrote a letter to Flagler, sending him some surviving flowers, and asking him to visit the area that had escaped the frost.  On the first day of his visit, Flagler concluded that Miami could be expanded successfully.  He decided to extend his railroad to the area, and construct a resort hotel.  In exchange, Tuttle agreed to give Flagler a 100 acre tract of land on which to develop a city.  Railroad extension was officially announced on June 21, 1895.  Work began in late September, and settlers started pouring in.

Under railroad construction, men throughout Florida flocked to Miami, awaiting Flagler’s call for workers to start creating the promised hotel and city.  By December 1895, seventy-five workers were clearing the hotel site, living in the wilderness out of huts and tents.  With more people coming into Miami, Flagler hired a man from West Palm Beach named John Sewall to start work on the city.  By April 7, 1896, railroad tracks were fully extended to Miami, and the first regularly scheduled train arrived eight days later.  Passenger service began on April 22.

Miami was incorporated on July 28, 1896 with 502 voters, including 100 registered black voters.  Its first elected mayor was John Reilly, head of Flagler’s Fort Dallas land company.  In the beginning, most of the residents wanted to name the city Flagler, but due to opposition by Henry Flagler, the idea was discarded.  Clauses within land deeds confined black people to Miami’s northwest section.  This section became known as “Colored Town,” but is presently known as “Overtown.”

Up to WWII, Miami’s population growth was astronomical.  In 1900, 1,681 people inhabited the city.  In 1910, it had 5,471 inhabitants, and in 1920, there were 29,549 inhabitants.  With thousands of people moving to the area, the need for more land became a bigger concern.  Canals were made to remove water from the Everglades, and Miami Beach was developed in 1913 with the completion of Collins Bridge, a two-mile wooden bridge connecting Miami to Miami Beach.

Throughout the 1920s, Miami authorities allowed gambling, and were very lax in regulations of Prohibition.  As a result, thousands of people arrived from the northern U.S., initiating a construction boom, and resulting in many high-rise buildings.  Area population doubled from 1920-1923.  In the fall of 1925, Greater Miami was created with the annexing of Allapattah, Coconut Grove, and Lemon City.

Due to building construction delays, and a constantly overloaded transport system, this speculation boom began to falter.  The three major railroad companies declared an embargo on all incoming goods except food.  Cost of living increased rapidly, and affordable homes were almost non-existent.  In 1926, the Great Miami Hurricane destroyed anything left of the boom, being the twelfth most costly and deadly storm to occur in the U.S. throughout all of the twentieth century.  This was followed by the Great Depression, putting over sixteen thousand local residents out of work.

By the early 1940s, Miami was in the process of recovering from the Great Depression.  It remained relatively unaffected by WWII, having been placed into two military districts (Eastern Defense Command, Seventh Naval District), designed to defend against U-boats attacking American ships.  The Gulf Sea Frontier was established in February of 1942, helping to guard waters around Florida.  By June, the number of attacks had forced an increase of army men and ships, and the moving of a headquarters from Key West to the Dupont building.  With the war against the U-boats growing stronger, more military bases were established within Miami.  Docks were controlled by the U.S. Navy, air stations were set up in Dinner Key and Opa-locka Airport, and the Air Force installed bases in local Miami airports.

Local military schools, supply, and communications facilities were established.  The Army and Navy used southern Florida hotels as barracks, movie theaters as classrooms, and local beaches and golf courses for training purposes.  More than 500,000 enlisted men and 50,000 officers trained within southern Florida.  After WWII’s end, Miami’s population went back up with the return of many servicemen and women.  By 1950, there were almost 500,000 residents.

Following the 1959 revolution empowering Fidel Castro, a great number of Miamians were afraid of the possibility of WWIII.  Some left the city, while others started to build bomb shelters, stocking food and bottled water.

Most Cuban exiles took up residence in the Riverside neighborhood, which eventually became “Little Havana.”  This neighborhood developed into a primarily Spanish-speaking community.  By the end of the 1960s, Miami-Dade County became home to over 400,000 Cuban refugees.

The Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966 provided that the immigration status of any Cuban who arrived since 1959 and has been physically present in the US for at least a year “may be adjusted by the Attorney General to that of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence” (green card holder).  The individual must be admissible to the U.S. (i.e., not disqualified on criminal or other grounds).

The 1980s brought Miami an immigration increase from other nations, like Haiti.  With the growth of the Haitian population,  Little Haiti emerged, centered on NE 2nd Ave., and 54th Street.  Haitians were acknowledged in the 1990s through the creation of Haitian Creole language signs, used in public places and on voting ballots.

Miami’s signs of prosperity started appearing with the establishment of condominium developments, five-star hotels, luxury car dealerships, major commercial developments, and swanky nightclubs.

What to Do in Miami and South Beach

Greater Miami beaches serve as premier recreational sites for visiting tourists.  Watersports rentals are available at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Beach (1200 S. Crandon Blvd., Key Biscayne), Crandon Park Beach (4000 Crandon Blvd., Key Biscayne), Hobie Beach/Windsurfer Beach (South end, north side of Rickenbacker Cswy., Key Biscayne), Miami Beach-Central (Collins Ave., 21st St.-46th St., Miami Beach), Miami Beach-North (Collins Ave., 46th St.-78th St., Miami Beach), Miami Beach-South Beach (Ocean Dr. & 5th St.-Collins Ave. & 21st St., Miami Beach), Sunny Isles Beach (Collins Ave., 157th St.-193rd St., Sunny Isles Beach), and Virginia Key Beach-South (South of Rickenbacker Cswy., east of Biscayne Bay).  Families often prefer the 3rd St. Beach (3rd St. & Ocean Dr., Miami Beach), and the 12th St. Beach (12th St. and Ocean Dr., Miami) is known as gay-friendly.  Topless women on public beaches are a common occurrence, but Haulover Beach Park (10800 Collins Ave., Miami Beach) is Miami’s only entirely clothing optional beach area.

Key attractions include Bayside Marketplace (401 Biscayne Blvd.), American Airlines Arena (601 Biscayne Blvd.), Gusman Center for the Performing Arts (174 E. Flagler St.), Art Deco Welcome Center (1001 Ocean Dr.), Bal Harbour Shops (9700 Collins Rd.), Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park (1200 S. Crandon Blvd.), Crandon Park (4000 Crandon Blvd.), Miami Seaquarium (4400 Rickenbacker Cswy.), The Gallery at CocoWalk (3015 Grand Ave.), Biltmore Hotel (1200 Anastasia Ave.), Venetian Pool (2701 De Soto Blvd.), Miami-Dade Cultural Center (101 W. Flagler St.), Miami Museum of Science and Planetarium (3280 S. Miami Ave.), Miami Art Museum (101 W. Flagler St.), Bass Museum (2121 Park Ave., at 21st St.), Wolfsonian Museum (1001 Washington Ave.), Miami Metro Zoo (12400 SW 152nd St., Coral Reef Dr.), Monkey Jungle (14805 SW 216th St.), and Parrot Jungle and Gardens (Watson Island, off I-395 MacArthur Cswy. ).

Where to Eat in Miami and South Beach

Miami is home to a vast and diverse restaurant scene, often seasoned with a Latin influence.  Exotic new eateries and well-known establishments are both available.  The area specializes in New World Cuisine (also known as Nuevo Latino and Floribbean cuisine), which fuses Latin American and Caribbean influences, using classic European preparing techniques and locally grown ingredients.  Florida waters provide an abundance of fresh seafood, and tropical fruit and vegetables are grown within South Dade County.  Traditional American fare remains plentiful, and more adventurous diners can find Argentinian, Asian, Brazilian, Cuban, European, French, Haitian, Jamaican, Middle Eastern, and Peruvian cuisine.

OLA Miami (Sanctuary Hotel, 1745 James Ave.) is in close walking distance to Lincoln Rd., and most of South Beach’s luxury hotels and resorts.  The culinary creations of Latin chef, Douglas Rodriguez, brings essential Latin American flavors to Miami Beach.  Its menu features ceviche, ham croquettes with Parmesan ice cream, garlicky octopus & lemon espuma, pan-seared codfish with saffron-crab potato puree or beef tenderloin glazed with rioja wine reduction.  Guests can choose between  a signature classic mojito, or a long list of international wines, chosen to compliment the menu.  Rooftop dining and private rooms are available for special events.  The restaurant is open Sunday-Thursday, 6:30p.m.-11p.m., and Friday-Saturday, 6:30p.m.-1a.m.  To make a reservation, call 305-695-9125.  Public Relations,  Marketing, Special Events & Large Groups should contact Mark Mcclenney at 305-491-5886 or Mark.Mcclenney@yahoo.com.

Chef Allen’s (19088 NE 29th Ave.) serves an innovative menu, giving a subtropical twist to fresh fish, homemade pasta, steak, seasonal salads, and fabulous desserts.  Every daily, local fishermen deliver an assortment of fresh yellowtail snapper, grouper, pompano, wahoo, cobia, lobster, conch and wild Florida shrimp to be served.  An authentic, wood burning Lyonnaise grill gives delectable flavor to its prepared fish, steak, and shops.  The restaurant is open Monday-Thursday, 6p.m.-10:30p.m., Friday-Saturday, 6p.m.-12a.m., and Sunday, 6p.m.-10:30p.m.  Dress code is Business Casual.  To make a reservation, visit www.chefallens.com/reservations.cfm.  Private parties should contact Kimberly Szewczyk at 305-935-2900.

Where to Stay in Miami

Mandarin Oriental Miami (500 Brickell Key Dr.) is a top rated hotel, providing an unsurpassed level of service and luxury.  Easily accessible to South Beach, Bayside, Coconut Grove and the Miami International Airport, this waterfront hotel features a dynamic and contemporary design.  Vast guest rooms and suites have balconies and terraces with views of the Atlantic Ocean, Biscayne Bay, and Miami skyline.  The hotel includes a rejuvenating spa, comprehensive fitness center, beach club with private beach, swimming pool, sushi and pool bar, jogging trail, all-day dining restaurant, award-winning signature restaurant, lobby lounge, and martini and champagne bar.  Reservations can be made by phone at 1-305-913-8383, toll-free at 1-866-888-6780, fax at 1-305-913-8317, online at reservations.mandarinoriental.com/xbe/rez.aspx?hotel=526&chain=507, and by email at momia-reservations@mohg.com.

Looking for more Destinations? Try these:

Glamour and Sunshine in Los Angeles, CA

Vancouver, BC: Home of the Winter Olympics

The Entertaining Experience of Las Vegas, NV

Philadelphia, PA: History and Culture Galore

Davos, Switzerland: A Winter Wonderland

Ann Arbor, Michigan: More than a College Town